


Atomized

by Mothgender



Series: Atomized [2]
Category: Megamind (2010)
Genre: Bad Parenting, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Metro man is a himbo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:21:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23500756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mothgender/pseuds/Mothgender
Summary: Roxanne Ritchi manages perfectly well on her own, despite the fact that she becomes a shadow every now and then. Of course Megamind has to mess with her normally manageable routine.
Relationships: Megamind/Roxanne Ritchi
Series: Atomized [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017687
Comments: 60
Kudos: 170





	1. Chapter 1

Roxanne Ritchi learned early on to never trust a man in a lab coat. She’s ten the first time her father brings her to work with him at the lab.

She’s sixteen the next time she sees the sun.

(the less said about what happens in the in-between the better, but we don’t always get to decide how the story goes)

She doesn’t know what they did to her, what they were _trying_ to do to her, but every 15 days (she knows this, she’s counted down the exact minutes enough times that she at least knows this) she dissolves, horrifically, _painfully._ The first time was the worst, she hadn’t been expecting it.

Her father had always been at work and never wanted to play with her at home and now she had all his attention and all she had to do was sit on the table and let him give her a shot.

_“We don’t want anything here making you sick,” he’d said sweetly, “we all get this shot on our first day.”_

LIAR.

And then for ten horrifying days she’s trapped in what she can only call a shadow world. She can see the world around her still, but the colors are horribly grayed and she can’t do anything she can’t touch anything she can’t even make herself _heard—_

At the end of the tenth day it’s more of a mild discomfort to feel herself pulled back together, back to the world she wishes she could just _stay in, why can’t she just stay here?_

She’d stayed at the lab, because they promised her they would fix her, stop the cycle of dissolving and reforming but in the end they never even really tried to fix it they just wanted to _make it happen again but better, controllable._

But they couldn’t, and when she found out she was so _angry_.she slipped out while she was in the shadow world and walked. She doesn’t stop until she makes it to Metro City, and holes up in an apartment and steals some cash from someone she hopes can afford it.

It takes her a long time to figure out how to live, but she does, slowly. She gets forged IDs in her own name, foolishly, but she can’t make herself throw away her name so instead she throws away the e at the end of Ritchie and hopes for the best. She gets her GED, legitimately, works horrible not-even-middle-wage jobs, takes online courses at the local community college and even more foolishly tries to do the thing she’s always wanted to do.

She does get an internship at KCMP, although it is rather rocky with the whole not-existing-for-ten-days thing that happens every month but she somehow makes it work. She is, after all, the best investigator they have.

Then she actually gets hired. She doesn’t know how she convinces her boss that these ten day stints of not coming to the office are unavoidable but he relents because she always brings him stories, even if they don’t let her actually report on them.

She’s not bitter.

Of course that changes after Megamind kidnaps her the first time.

(not that it’s much of a kidnapping really)

(she’s more of a human shield that almost gets set on fire because _someone_ doesn’t understand the concept of _hostage negotiation_ and goes right for the eye lasers)

After that episode, she gets a whole interview! Of course she’s the interviewee but she makes a point of making sure they know that Metro Man, in his infinite wisdom, _nearly set her on fire._

And then Megamind does an actual, proper kidnapping with a deathtrap and a monologue that he goes through before he even calls out Metro Man and—

Roxanne is almost _flattered._

That is, of course, when her life flies even further out of her control.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxanne gets kidnapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi darlings! I'm alive! I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out but the world has been kicking my ass since April. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out in less than six months ;-;

From the second he grabs the woman (her name is _Roxanne Ritchi_ ) all the way to the moment of his escape from prison, one thought bounces around Megamind's head:

All the best villains have a damsel. And Megamind? He was going to have the _best_ damsel.

He spends weeks researching. He plans a classic, simple scheme for their first proper kidnapping. A trial run, to see if Roxanne Ritchi really is as cut out for this as he believes her to be.

He spends a week cataloging her schedule, fine tuning the ideal times for a kidnapping. It goes flawlessly. She doesn’t even have time to realize what’s happened.

Now, he’s perched on his high-backed wheelie chair, watching for any sign she’s starting to wake up. He’s practically _giddy_ as he goes over the plan for today. It really is a very simple yet elegant deathtrap, and who doesn’t love a giant swinging ax blade? Of course, there would be several safety measures in place; he didn’t want to actually hurt her.

He’s already prepped the whole ‘if you don’t hand over Metrocity she’ll be split in twain’ speech and knowing the ever righteous goody two shoes, he'll come running.

And if he doesn’t…

Well.

Not only would that render the past 198 hours a complete waste of his time, but he’s sure Roxanne would write a rather scathing review of Wayne Scott’s character.

He's pulled from his musings when Roxanne starts to stir and he freezes.

Oh.

Oh no.

_Oh. This was a mistake._

“hhhh, wha—”

She stirs sluggishly for a bit and before Megamind can even start his five-part apology for not only wasting her time but also for existing she’s gone fully rigid, head tilted like she’s _listening_ for something.

He braces for panic as he moves towards her. He knows when he removes the bag Roxanne is going to panic and then _he’s_ going to panic which is going to make her panic even more and it’s going to be an endless cycle of panic until Minion knocks them both out and he’s going to have to actually apologize to her like a real grown adult.

So despite his absolute dread, he grabs the bag and pulls.

—

Roxanne isn’t stupid; she’s not oblivious. In her line of work, it pays to be observant, to notice the little details. Little details like the sound of boots following her closely throughout her whole day, details like how the rhythm of them never falters, even when she takes a sudden turn into an alley or pivots on her heels at blind corner. She knows someone has been following her for the past week, _and she can’t figure out how._ The anxiety has been mounting and if she could just see who it was she could get some _goddamn sleep._

She’s at the end of her rope by Monday. Her hair is a verifiable _mess_ and she spent the night (the last few nights) sitting up waiting for an intruder who never showed. She’s walking to work with her bug-out bag, for god’s sake. She’s so intent on listening for when the boots will join her that she doesn’t even notice Minion in front of her.

She barely notices the fall.

—

Roxanne comes to slowly, emerging from the fog of unconsciousness more disoriented than usual and her face scrunches up in confusion. Her bed feels harder than usual and the darkness is all-encompassing. Sluggishly, she tries to get up but there’s something around her wrists.

All at once her body seizes up and her breath catches in her lungs. The cool metal around her wrists is not quite as taut as she recalls, and it doesn’t cut into her wrists, not unless she really pulled at them.

The darkness, she realizes, is a covering of some sort, softer than she’d expect. She doesn’t remember ever being blindfolded. What is happening?

_Where in the hell is she?_

She feels panic rising but clamps it down, if she is where she thinks she is, she won’t give them, _Him,_ the benefit of seeing her panic. So instead, she needs to figure out what she knows; she takes notes.

She is in an unknown location, secured to a table with metal restraints. No getting out of those without considerable pain. There’s a burlap bag—no, somewhat softer than burlap, over her head, not really secured from what she can tell. She could probably get it off with little trouble, not now, later if necessary. There’s a noticeable lack of the hum of fluorescents that the lab was so fond of, an extra layer added to her confusion.

If not the lab, then _where the hell is she?_

She hears light footsteps coming towards her, and none of the gloating she would expect from her father, if it _was_ him who had her, and at this point she was doubting her own intuition.

The footsteps get closer and she doesn’t move, she doesn’t breathe, even when they stop just inches from her. She feels the bag move and squints into the sudden brightness of the room and it’s—

What.

The fuck.

Nervous, near hysterical laughter bubbles up out of her before she can stop it. “It’s you.”

“Welc—xcuse me?” Megamind blinks owlishly at her and quickly recovers, mock-hurt lacing his words. “Were you expecting someone else, Ms. Ritchi? And I thought we had forged a _special connection_ of sorts last we met.”

The shock of this completely unexpected turn of events and her vulnerable position notwithstanding, Roxanne feels frustration growing within her. ”Wait just a minute, _you’re_ the one whose been following me for the past week. You ass, I haven’t slept in four days!”

He raises his eyebrow and briefly glances over at Minion, who Roxanne hadn’t even noticed, “You _knew_ we were following you?”

Roxanne scoffs, ignoring the swell of satisfaction at fact that he clearly sounds impressed, “Well you weren’t exactly _subtle_ about it. And to be clear I didn’t know it was you, just that I was being followed and it was stressing me the fuck out, so thanks for that.”

She mentally slaps herself. Oh Roxanne, please shut up. You are making this already terrible and awkward experience even worse.

Megamind clears his throat, “Yes, well, I’m sorry? For that? I did not mean to cause you any unnecessary stress.”

His statement sounds so sincere that Roxanne doesn’t even know how to begin to respond. Everything about this is so bizarre. Megamind takes her moment of silence as his cue.

“As I was saying, Ms. Ritchi, Welcome to Your Doom! As well as the doom of Metrocity!” he says with a flourish and a cackle.

She has to crane her neck to actually look at him. Oh, that is highly uncomfortable. “My…doom?”

She may be tied to a table but this was hardly the first time. She’d seen her doom years ago and it was a sterile room with a table full of surgical tools wielded by a scientist with no moral compass. As far as she could see, there was not one scalpel; not to mention this place was far from sterile.

He throws himself into the wheelie chair and slides over to a control panel. He throws a lever and Roxanne looks up, head thumping on the table, when she hears a whirring noise and an ax descends from a hole in the ceiling that definitely wasn’t there a moment ago. If it was she should retire from her job immediately.

The ax starts swinging. Lovely.

“You know, I don’t recall signing up to be a damsel in distress when you were using me as a human shield.”

Shut your mouth, Roxanne.

He cackles. It’s the most comic book villain thing she’s ever heard. “Why Ms. Ritchi, what makes you think you’re going to live through this?”

She raises her brow and tries to summon whatever stupid bravery that possessed her earlier. “Because I verbally eviscerated Metro Man and it was glorious?”

A laugh startles out of him. “So really, why am I here?”

He looks at Minion, confusion clear on his face. “Is it not obvious, Minion?” Minion shrugs. “I thought it was obvious. You’re bait, Ms. Ritchi.”

Oh god, he knows. He knows and the years she spent hiding herself will have been for naught and—

He interrupts her, unaware of her full on panic spiral. “Metro Man will come for you and you’ll be a delightful distraction, I’m sure.”

Her brain short circuits.

Oh no. He can’t be serious.

“And what if he doesn’t come?”

Megamind is looking at her like she’s a particularly confusing puzzle and it’s starting to drive her crazy. “Excuse me?”

Oh for the love of— “If Metro Man doesn’t come. What happens then?”

“He’ll come, don’t you worry your pretty little head over that.” Her eye twitches. “It’s his whole shtick: saving the people of Metrocity and all that jazz. Ha, if he wanted to do some actual good he’d use Daddy’s money to help the homeless, fight hunger, fix climate change, literally anything other than what he’s currently doing.”

She can’t believe this. The _audacity._ “Oh, he’ll come, will he? Mr. I Have No Spacial Awareness or Regard for Collateral Damage will come, what, _rescue me?_ Oh, now that I’d love to see. Minion, was it? Is that actually your name? I’ll bet you $20 Metro Man does something life threatening with the big ax up there.”

For a moment it looks like she’s actually going to get an answer from Minion but before he can say anything Megamind suddenly enters back into her line of sight. From behind him she sees a mechanical hand thrust up into a thumbs up. Ha. Free money.

Megamind is, well, he looks like he's barely holding his composure. “Ms. Ritchi! While I absolutely appreciate the theatrics and actual real criticism of Metro Man we should probably save those for the cameras, yes?”

She opens her mouth to say something and immediately closes it again. Cameras? Oh god.

“Great! Now why don’t we give Metro Man a call, hmm?

—

When she realizes the cameras are broadcasting not only a wide shot of her situation but a close up on her face as well, she almost starts panicking again. Now her father is definitely going to find her. But a second, more insistent thought squashes that one down.

Now KCMP _has_ to acknowledge her.

She takes a deep breath, flips the hair out of her face with a practiced shake of the head, and does what she’s always wanted to do. “Metro City, this is Roxanne Ritchi of KCMP News reporting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you call your nemesis to get out of a terrible and awkward interaction.
> 
> Bonus:
> 
> “—unclear why Megamind would kidnap a reporter if he truly wanted the cit—HEY, WATCH WHAT YOU’RE DOING WITH THAT AX!”
> 
> There’s actual sparks where the ax embeds itself into the floor mere inches from Roxanne’s table. She might actually throw up.
> 
> “Not to worry, citizen! Everything is under control!”
> 
> Oh god help her, she is going to die here.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxanne makes a friend and Metro Man continues to be Himbo Supreme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s to a much smaller gap between chapters 2 and 3! \o/

All in all, it’s over within half an hour. Metro Man has Megamind in custody and is taking him to prison, as far as Roxanne can tell. She’s still secured to the table.

She and Minion stare at each other for a good two minutes before she finally breaks the silence.

“Do you think he’s coming back?”

Minion startles, flitting around his tank. “I think,” he pauses, full of nervous energy, “He should? I mean, he probably should have been back by now? But! I’m sure he’s coming back, Ms. Ritchi.”

He smiles widely at her and it should be scary with all those teeth but his eyes are so expressive and kind that it doesn’t even register to her.

Roxanne groans and lets her head fall heavily to the table she is _still strapped to._

Ouch.

“Ah, right. Just a moment, Ms. Ritchi, that cannot be comfortable.”

She can hear Minion moving around by the control panel but she’s not paying attention to that. She’s staring up at the chain the ax used to be attached to and something isn’t quite right there, but she can’t put her finger on it.

There’s a click and the restraints on her arms and ankles open. She sits up slowly, her back popping.

Freedom!

Woo.

She scoots down to the edge of the table and kicks her feet back and forth, taking the time to really study her surroundings now that she isn’t restricted by such a small range of motion.

Minion gives her another bright smile. “Better, Ms. Ritchi?”

“Yes, thank you.” No sooner than she says that and he’s off and dismantling the various machinery around the room. There’s a few of Megamind’s flying robots coming in and out of the Metro Man shaped hole in the carting the piece back to wherever it is their hideout is located.

She should try to find out where that is.

She tries to sit quietly and wait for Metro Man to come back, she really does, but she’s Roxanne Ritchi and she has never known how to keep her mouth shut for more than a few minutes.

“So, Minion,” she starts slowly. “Do you always clean up the machinery after one of the plots?”

The robotic suit continues to break down what looks to be part of the control panel while Minion himself spins around in his bowl to face her. “Oh, yes, whenever I can. Sir doesn’t want anyone to get their hands on any of his machines, even one as simple as this. Scott Industries has been trying to get their hands on his work for ages.”

Scott Industries, huh? Interesting.

He turns back to his work and as one of the bots takes the detached piece from him he adds, “I probably shouldn’t have said that. Sir doesn’t like sharing things with the press.”

Roxanne fidgets with her hands and shrugs. “Sorry, old habits. I’ll try to limit myself.”

Minion sighs. “I guess that’s the best I can ask for.”

Three of the flying bots come closer to her and she immediately abandons whatever conversation she was attempting with Minion to study them. She’d never seen them this close up before.

She’d seen them before, of course she had. Megamind is known for these spiky little robots. Brainbots, if she remembers correctly. She always thought they were rather cute. Now that she’s up close she can tell that she was correct. They are adorable little spiky babies. The spikes one them don’t actually look all that sharp up close, and their domes appear to be transparent. Is that…actual brain matter in there?

 _Nope._ No, Roxanne. We are not thinking about this right now.

Two of them set to work wrenching the ax out of the floor while the third one hovers closer to her and let’s out a soft _bowg._

There is a $20 bill taped to their dome.

“Oh, is that for me?”

The brainbot bowgs again in an affirmative manner and floats closer. She gently removes the tape from their dome and gives them a gentle pat.

“Thank you.” She raises her voice. “Thanks Minion!”

The brainbot starts making a mechanical purring sound and nuzzles into her hand. Roxanne’s heart practically melts out of her chest.

“Well, aren’t you a love?” she continues petting the bot around their spikes and it settles down onto her lap. “Whose a good little bot? Do you have a name? I bet it’s the best name.”

The bot is practically vibrating. As she pets them she can see that there’s definitely something that looks like tissue in there. Which is really not what she wants to be thinking about on barely any sleep. It raises implications that her brain is not prepared for right now.

“—lo? Ms. Ritchi?”

She’s startled out of her thoughts by Minion, who somehow managed to sneak up on her.

“Oh sorry, Minion. I was just having a fun time with this little lovebug.”

The bot nuzzles even further into her touch.

“Um, Ms. Ritchi?”

“Yes, Minion?”

He shuffles from one foot to the other. “I have to leave but um, I’d rather not just leave you alone here? It’s been a while now and Metro Man really should have been back by now. Would you like a-a ride somewhere?”

Roxanne smiles. What a sweet fish. “I’d really appreciate that, Minion. Thank you. By the way, what happened to my bag?”

Before she’s fully done saying ‘bag’ her brainbot is up and away with a series of bowgs and is back within moments with her bug-out bag.

“Ah, here we are. Thank you, 32.” Minion tries to take the bag from the bot.

_Bowg!_

The bot does not let Minion or Roxanne take the bag. They instead insist on carrying the bag to the car and even then they do not relinquish their hold on it.

Behind the wheel of the car, Minion looks over to Roxanne. “So, where to Ms. Ritchi?”

She leans heavily into the car seat. “Ugh, my apartment. I’m taking the rest of the day off and if Jim wants me in the office he can shove it.”

Minion smiles sheepishly. “We’re really sorry about causing you any stress this past week, Ms. Ritchi.”

Roxanne smiles back at him. “Well, at least I won’t have to stay up with the baseball bat anymore. Can I ask you a question?”

“I suppose.” he says slowly.

“So, why suddenly decide to incorporate a damsel into the dynamic? It’s not like I have any connection to Metro Man.”

“I am…not sure I should answer that particular question.”

“Aw, come on Minion. It’ll all be off the record. Scout’s honor.”

He sighs. “I suppose since you’ll be involved it wouldn’t hurt, but if you use any of this for a story I’ll be very cross with you.”

“Wayne has never been good at _gentle.”_ he starts. “He doesn’t hold back as much as we’d like him to. We were hoping maybe with someone more fragile, no offense meant Ms. Ritchi, he might be more careful.”

She takes her time before responding. “So you wanted a buffer and a witness, someone to hold him accountable. I can respect that. He doesn’t seem to be the most self-aware of his strength.”

Minion laughs. “We’re hoping he won’t be throwing things around so much with you around. He might even stop throwing Sir around as much. I, hm,” Minion stops suddenly. “Well, here we are, Ms. Ritchi!”

Roxanne looks out the window and yup, that’s her apartment building.

“Minion I have a few questions about how things are going to continue from here. Would you like to come in for a minute?”

Which is how Roxanne ends up sitting at her kitchen table while Minion makes tea and criticizes her grocery situation. The brainbot is on her lap once again, finally having let go of the bag once they entered the apartment.

Minion sets a cup of chamomile in front of her. Roxanne wonders if she even _had_ chamomile in her cupboards.

She takes a sip and stares down at the mug in surprise. “You made this with things in my kitchen? Are you sure?”

Minion smiles and puffs up with pride. “Thank you, Ms. Ritchi. Now, what did you want to talk about?”

“This is going to become a regular thing, yes?”

“I—yes, probably.”

She takes a contemplative sip of her tea. “Then I have a few conditions for my continued cooperation, starting with my work schedule.”

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, Wayne Scott is chatting with his mother over a late lunch.

“So,” Lady Grace starts, “I take it you went back to that warehouse after brining that criminal in to take that poor girl home since I didn’t see her on the news after the fight?”

Wayne blinks a few times, processing his Mother’s words. Oh.

Oh _no_. He _left Rowena there._ Was that her name? Was she still tied to the table? Had Minion left the warehouse and left her there, assuming he’d be right back to get her? Oh no. Oh, he is in so much trouble.

He needs to leave right now.

“Yes, um, of course, Mother.” She stares at him blankly. “She was pretty uh, shook up after this morning. Speaking of,”

He stands up and his chair falls over. “I told her I’d check up on her so I’m going to go. Do that right now. Yes. I’ll be back soon.”

He disappears from the room and Lady Grace Scott calmly places a hand on her napkin to keep it in place and sighs. “That boy better hope she’s not still in that warehouse.”

A moment later he’s back at the warehouse and—

It’s _empty._ That cannot be good. This is not good. He does a quick scan and, yup, this is one very empty building.

He vaguely remembers what her voice sounds like, she hadn’t stopped talking almost the whole time they were having the fight. So he extends hi hearing and listens.

Aha!

She’s in an apartment building, presumably her own.

She’s probably fine but his mother will _know_ if he didn’t check on her somehow and he should probably apologize for forgetting about her.

This is not going to go well.

Soon enough he’s at her balcony door looking into her living room and his brain grinds to a halt.

Minion and Ramona, no that’s not it either, are having tea and they are surrounded by office supplies.

What.

He quietly enters the apartment and hovers awkwardly behind them before clearing his throat to grab their attention.

Rosslyn?, swivels in the chair, highlighter still poised in hand. There’s a brainbot on her lap and it starts growling when it sees him.

He’s pretty sure this happened once with Megamind.

“Ah, Wayne Scott, so nice of you to join us. May I call you Wayne?”

Wayne gently lands on the floor, confused. “Uh, I suppos—”

“Excellent.” She steeples her hands together, he most definitely remembers an exchange like this happening. “So, Wayne. What in the _ever-loving fuck_ have you been doing for the past three hours and-”

“Well, you see I—”

She snaps her fingers a few times, cutting him off, like she’s trying to remember something and Minion adds, “twenty-three minutes aaaaaand seventeen seconds, Ms. Ritchi.” 

She smiles. “Yes, thank you, Minion. Pray tell, _Wayne,_ what was so important that you left one helpless citizen of Metro City in the hands of Megamind’s right hand fish for _three hours and twenty three minutes?_ I don’t know if you remember that far back but I was _still tied to the table when you left!”_

If he could just remember her name he could probably smooth this over.

“But, Ravena,” Nope, wrong. Foot, say hello to mouth. “It’s Minion! He’s harmless! For god’s sake, he made you tea!”

She stands and the brainbot startles off her lap and she advances on him. “That doesn’t matter! This is not how things are done. There are codes, protocols for these things! You simply do _not_ leave the damsel tied to the table after the fight for three hours after the fact! It’s just bad manners. Where’s your sense of professionalism?”

“Listen, Roseanne,” From the look on her face that was also not her name and he is just digging himself a bigger hole.

“I am very sorry about leaving you there. That was,” he pauses, trying to find the right word, “that was really shitty of me and it won’t happen again as long as you are damseling in Metro City.”

She scoffs. "I guess that’s a start. It’s Roxanne, by the way, and you can leave now. As you can see I’m perfectly fine. Minion and I were just finishing up anyway.”

And that’s how Wayne Scott gets unceremoniously shoved off a balcony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene with Roxanne and Minion negotiating terms over tea was inspired by impatientseamstress’ Tea With Topsy which if you haven’t read, what are you still doing here? It’s an excellent piece, go read it


End file.
